EBOP presses ahead with offices plan

By Graham Skellern
It may have looked presumptuous but from Environment Bay of Plenty's point of view it was simply good planning.
The regional council this week advertised for expressions of interest to construct its new 3967sq m Tauranga office building at Sulphur Point - even though independent commissioner Doug Arcus has not yet released his decision on whether the council will be allowed to do that.
The decision is due next Tuesday.
Mr Arcus is deciding whether to grant Environment BOP a resource consent to establish the four-storey building in the port business zone at Sulphur Point.
The application is opposed by Tauranga City Council and fishing and boating clubs operating at Sulphur Point.
Miles McConway, Environment BOP's project manager, said the council was now running to a very tight timeframe.
"There is no assumption, whatsoever. It's just preparatory work - we are only asking contractors to register their interest and details," he said.
Environment BOP has asked the interested contractors to forward their company profiles and references to its architects by next Friday. A shortlist of contractors would then be invited to tender.
Mr McConway said the lease on the present office building in Mount Maunganui expired next October and it would take up to nine months to construct a new building.
Depending on Mr Arcus' decision, Mr McConway will be reporting on the $10 million project to Environment BOP's finance and corporate services sub-committee on November 28.
That committee would make a recommendation on proceeding to the full council on December 15. By then Environment BOP will know if there are any appeals.
Mr McConway said if the project stayed on track, he wanted to start the tender process before Christmas.